OUR TEAM
Meet Our Team
Tom Pallas
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Thomas G. Pallas is a senior executive and infrastructure leader at Forge25, bringing experience across telecommunications, fiber networks, construction services, and complex operational environments. He is known for building disciplined organizations, leading with clarity, and delivering results in demanding, capital-intensive industries. Throughout his career, Thomas has led multi-functional teams across engineering, fabrication, field services, and network deployment. His leadership style reflects the Forge25 mindset as a direct, accountable, and execution-driven leader focused on aligning strategy with field performance. He emphasizes operational rigor, safety, and quality while scaling capabilities to support long-term growth. Thomas has played a key role in expanding service offerings, integrating new capabilities, and strengthening operating models to meet the evolving needs of customers and partners. He collaborates closely with customers, carriers, and ownership groups to ensure Forge25 delivers dependable, compliant, and high-quality infrastructure solutions. His experience navigating complex regulatory environments reinforces a disciplined approach to risk management and operational excellence. At the core of Thomas’s leadership philosophy is a belief that strong culture and disciplined execution are inseparable. He is committed to developing leaders, fostering collaboration, and building teams that take pride in their craft. At Forge25, he helps shape an organization focused on forging resilient infrastructure that is built with purpose, precision, and accountability to support our customers.
Andrew Gering
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
With over 20 years of experience in the wireless and telecommunications industry, Andrew Gering serves as Chief Operating Officer and owner at Forge25. Andrew began his career as a tower climber, gaining firsthand experience in the field and a deep understanding of the challenges, risks, and realities faced by project teams. That foundation has shaped his leadership style and continues to influence how he approaches operations, safety, and execution. Over the course of his career, Andrew progressed through technical, supervisory, and executive roles, building a broad skill set that spans engineering, construction, inspections, and operations. Today, he focuses on leveraging industry expertise and operational strategy to drive innovation, scalability, and consistent delivery across Forge25’s services. Andrew’s core strengths include team leadership, operational strategy, and complex technical problem-solving. He is known for fostering a collaborative, accountable culture that empowers people at every level of the organization and aligns day-to-day execution with long-term business goals. At Forge25, Andrew works closely with cross-functional teams to turn vision into action, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. His path from climber to COO and owner gives him a unique, ground-up perspective and a strong commitment to building organizations that value people, performance, and purpose.
Nick Schmitt
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Nicholas J. Schmitt is a Founding Partner and Vice President of Forge25, a premier national infrastructure firm specializing in the engineering, design, and development of telecommunications networks. An elite technical authority, Nicholas holds the rare distinction of being a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Structural Engineer (SE) in all 50 states. This comprehensive national licensure allows him to provide Forge25 with the unique ability to certify and lead critical infrastructure projects across any U.S. jurisdiction. As the lead executive in charge of all engineering at Forge25, Nicholas sets the organization's rigorous standards for drawings, calculations, and engineering judgment. Since co-founding the firm (formerly SGS Towers, Inc.) over 14 years ago, he has overseen the evaluation and modification of complex tower structures including self-support, monopoles, and guyed towers ensuring they meet or exceed IBC and ASCE 7 standards. His leadership ensures that every project, from turnkey raw land development to intricate foundation reinforcements, is executed with a focus on structural integrity and long-term reliability. Prior to founding Forge25, Nicholas served as a Design Engineer Supervisor at Sabre Towers and Poles, where he managed multi-disciplinary engineering teams and specialized in tower optimization. He began his career at Kiewit and InfraStructure, LLC, focusing on heavy civil formwork and structural plan reviews. Nicholas earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Structural) from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. A member of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), he remains at the forefront of the industry, bridging the gap between sophisticated structural engineering and national infrastructure growth.
Tim Hornbeck
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
Tim Hornbeck is the Vice President of Sales at Forge25, where he brings nearly two decades of experience in the telecommunications industry. A graduate of Wayne State College, Tim earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management before beginning his career in telecom in 2007. He quickly established himself as an industry leader in sales, with a strong focus on tower infrastructure and strategic growth. Tim has been deeply involved in state wireless associations throughout his career, helping to advance collaboration and advocacy within the industry. He served as President of the Nebraska-Iowa Wireless Association from 2011 to 2017 and continues to support the organization as an active board member. Tim is known for his relationship-driven approach, industry expertise, and commitment to strengthening the wireless community.
Luke Troxler
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Luke Troxler serves as Vice President of Operations at Forge25, overseeing nationwide execution across inspections, engineering, geotechnical services, construction support, and field operations. He began his career in the field performing multiple services, giving him firsthand experience with the realities of field execution and project delivery. Luke was the first employee to join Forge25 (formerly SGS Towers) and has been instrumental in the company’s growth and operational development. Luke is responsible for aligning field execution with organizational strategy, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and in compliance with client and regulatory requirements. His oversight spans operational planning, workforce deployment, and performance management across multiple service lines and geographic regions. He is known for a structured, execution-driven leadership style grounded in accountability, clarity, and consistency. Luke works closely with engineering, geotechnical, construction, safety, and inspections teams to strengthen coordination, streamline workflows, and reinforce reliable delivery at scale. At Forge25, Luke is committed to building operational foundations that support long-term growth while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance.
David Fredrickson
VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
David is a high-impact executive with over 40 years of experience driving infrastructure initiatives across the telecommunications and utility sectors. David oversees the strategic planning and execution of complex buildouts, ensuring that critical connectivity and power networks are delivered with precision and fiscal responsibility. David is a seasoned operations leader known for transforming fragmented organizations into high-performing, safety-driven teams. He brings deep expertise in advanced project management and stakeholder engagement to successfully operate within complex and evolving regulatory environments across the telecommunications and utility sectors. David is focused on building the critical infrastructure that enables tomorrow’s smart cities, while consistently driving operational excellence and sustainable financial performance. Beyond his professional role, David places a strong emphasis on family and personal values, bringing the same discipline, integrity, and consistency to his life outside of work as he does to his leadership approach.
Dan Patuto
VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Dan Patuto is a seasoned executive leader with more than three decades of experience driving revenue growth, market expansion, and strategic partnerships across the telecommunications and infrastructure industries. At Forge25 he focuses on accelerating long-term growth, and building high-impact industry alliances. Earlier in his career, Dan held various positions in the telecom/utility sectors, including regional/national sales management, as well as principal owner of a manufacturer's rep firm that provisioned materials for thousands of miles of fiber optic build-outs across the U.S. He also has had the unique perspective of heading-up business development for a boutique ISP that was at the forefront of symmetrical bandwidth some twenty years ago. Understanding all aspects of the network build-out (engineering, design, installation, & activation) has enabled him to become a trusted resource to industry partners and end-users, demonstrating both entrepreneurial vision and operational leadership. At Forge25, Dan works closely with the fiber, tower construction, and utility teams to provide seamless and responsive feedback to strategic partners and customers alike. Known for his results-oriented approach and relationship-driven leadership style, Dan consistently delivers sustainable growth, new market opportunities, and measurable business impact.
Jason Strand
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, FIBER SERVICES
With more than two decades of experience in fiber and network infrastructure, Jason Strand serves as Vice President of Operations – Fiber Services at Forge25. Jason began his career in the field as a fiber splicer and installer at Verizon, gaining firsthand experience in outside plant construction, customer installations, and the realities crews face every day. That field foundation continues to shape how he approaches safety, execution, and operational accountability. Over the course of his career, Jason progressed through contractor leadership and enterprise program roles, building expertise spanning outside plant, inside plant, backbone deployment, MDU engineering, customer premise operations, and large-scale cloud and AI infrastructure expansion. He has held senior leadership positions at Google Fiber, Google Cloud, Amazon, Sony, and Network Connex, where he led complex, cross-functional programs and established operating frameworks that brought structure and clarity to high-growth environments. Jason is known for building repeatable delivery models, strengthening vendor partnerships, and creating operating rhythms that align engineering, construction, finance, and operations. He focuses on practical process design, disciplined risk management, and transparent executive reporting that connects day-to-day execution with broader business objectives. At Forge25, Jason works alongside leadership and field teams to scale fiber services with discipline and purpose, ensuring work is delivered safely, efficiently, and to the standards expected by hyperscale customers. His path from splicer to executive gives him a ground-level perspective and a strong commitment to building organizations that value performance, accountability, and long-term partnership.
Brandon Kathol
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Brandon Kathol serves as the Director of Business Development at Forge25, bringing over a decade of dedicated experience to the telecommunications and infrastructure industry. Since joining the company in 2013, Brandon has played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between complex engineering requirements and high-level client objectives. Brandon’s career at Forge25 is rooted in a "bottom-up" understanding of the business. Starting in a field services support role, he gained firsthand experience by managing reporting, coordinating with crews, and physically performing ground-based field services. This technical foundation was instrumental in developing the company’s engineering service offerings, including Class IV Engineering and Structural Analysis services. Today, Brandon serves as a primary subject matter expert, providing critical guidance to both field crews and engineering teams. In his daily operations, Brandon focuses on customer interactions and sales strategy, ensuring that Forge25 delivers dependable, high-quality solutions. His leadership philosophy is centered on collaborative problem-solving and empowering a team of specialists. Rather than working in a vacuum, Brandon believes in surrounding himself with diverse expertise to efficiently tackle the industry’s most difficult challenges, ultimately providing customers with solutions they can trust. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His unique blend of technical engineering background and business development expertise helps Forge25 continue its mission of building resilient, purpose-driven infrastructure.
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Thomas G. Pallas is a senior executive and infrastructure leader at Forge25, bringing experience across telecommunications, fiber networks, construction services, and complex operational environments. He is known for building disciplined organizations, leading with clarity, and delivering results in demanding, capital-intensive industries. Throughout his career, Thomas has led multi-functional teams across engineering, fabrication, field services, and network deployment. His leadership style reflects the Forge25 mindset as a direct, accountable, and execution-driven leader focused on aligning strategy with field performance. He emphasizes operational rigor, safety, and quality while scaling capabilities to support long-term growth. Thomas has played a key role in expanding service offerings, integrating new capabilities, and strengthening operating models to meet the evolving needs of customers and partners. He collaborates closely with customers, carriers, and ownership groups to ensure Forge25 delivers dependable, compliant, and high-quality infrastructure solutions. His experience navigating complex regulatory environments reinforces a disciplined approach to risk management and operational excellence. At the core of Thomas’s leadership philosophy is a belief that strong culture and disciplined execution are inseparable. He is committed to developing leaders, fostering collaboration, and building teams that take pride in their craft. At Forge25, he helps shape an organization focused on forging resilient infrastructure that is built with purpose, precision, and accountability to support our customers.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
With over 20 years of experience in the wireless and telecommunications industry, Andrew Gering serves as Chief Operating Officer and owner at Forge25. Andrew began his career as a tower climber, gaining firsthand experience in the field and a deep understanding of the challenges, risks, and realities faced by project teams. That foundation has shaped his leadership style and continues to influence how he approaches operations, safety, and execution. Over the course of his career, Andrew progressed through technical, supervisory, and executive roles, building a broad skill set that spans engineering, construction, inspections, and operations. Today, he focuses on leveraging industry expertise and operational strategy to drive innovation, scalability, and consistent delivery across Forge25’s services. Andrew’s core strengths include team leadership, operational strategy, and complex technical problem-solving. He is known for fostering a collaborative, accountable culture that empowers people at every level of the organization and aligns day-to-day execution with long-term business goals. At Forge25, Andrew works closely with cross-functional teams to turn vision into action, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. His path from climber to COO and owner gives him a unique, ground-up perspective and a strong commitment to building organizations that value people, performance, and purpose.
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Nicholas J. Schmitt is a Founding Partner and Vice President of Forge25, a premier national infrastructure firm specializing in the engineering, design, and development of telecommunications networks. An elite technical authority, Nicholas holds the rare distinction of being a Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Structural Engineer (SE) in all 50 states. This comprehensive national licensure allows him to provide Forge25 with the unique ability to certify and lead critical infrastructure projects across any U.S. jurisdiction. As the lead executive in charge of all engineering at Forge25, Nicholas sets the organization's rigorous standards for drawings, calculations, and engineering judgment. Since co-founding the firm (formerly SGS Towers, Inc.) over 14 years ago, he has overseen the evaluation and modification of complex tower structures including self-support, monopoles, and guyed towers ensuring they meet or exceed IBC and ASCE 7 standards. His leadership ensures that every project, from turnkey raw land development to intricate foundation reinforcements, is executed with a focus on structural integrity and long-term reliability. Prior to founding Forge25, Nicholas served as a Design Engineer Supervisor at Sabre Towers and Poles, where he managed multi-disciplinary engineering teams and specialized in tower optimization. He began his career at Kiewit and InfraStructure, LLC, focusing on heavy civil formwork and structural plan reviews. Nicholas earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Structural) from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. A member of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), he remains at the forefront of the industry, bridging the gap between sophisticated structural engineering and national infrastructure growth.
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
Tim Hornbeck is the Vice President of Sales at Forge25, where he brings nearly two decades of experience in the telecommunications industry. A graduate of Wayne State College, Tim earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management before beginning his career in telecom in 2007. He quickly established himself as an industry leader in sales, with a strong focus on tower infrastructure and strategic growth. Tim has been deeply involved in state wireless associations throughout his career, helping to advance collaboration and advocacy within the industry. He served as President of the Nebraska-Iowa Wireless Association from 2011 to 2017 and continues to support the organization as an active board member. Tim is known for his relationship-driven approach, industry expertise, and commitment to strengthening the wireless community.
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Luke Troxler serves as Vice President of Operations at Forge25, overseeing nationwide execution across inspections, engineering, geotechnical services, construction support, and field operations. He began his career in the field performing multiple services, giving him firsthand experience with the realities of field execution and project delivery. Luke was the first employee to join Forge25 (formerly SGS Towers) and has been instrumental in the company’s growth and operational development. Luke is responsible for aligning field execution with organizational strategy, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and in compliance with client and regulatory requirements. His oversight spans operational planning, workforce deployment, and performance management across multiple service lines and geographic regions. He is known for a structured, execution-driven leadership style grounded in accountability, clarity, and consistency. Luke works closely with engineering, geotechnical, construction, safety, and inspections teams to strengthen coordination, streamline workflows, and reinforce reliable delivery at scale. At Forge25, Luke is committed to building operational foundations that support long-term growth while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance.
VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
David is a high-impact executive with over 40 years of experience driving infrastructure initiatives across the telecommunications and utility sectors. David oversees the strategic planning and execution of complex buildouts, ensuring that critical connectivity and power networks are delivered with precision and fiscal responsibility. David is a seasoned operations leader known for transforming fragmented organizations into high-performing, safety-driven teams. He brings deep expertise in advanced project management and stakeholder engagement to successfully operate within complex and evolving regulatory environments across the telecommunications and utility sectors. David is focused on building the critical infrastructure that enables tomorrow’s smart cities, while consistently driving operational excellence and sustainable financial performance. Beyond his professional role, David places a strong emphasis on family and personal values, bringing the same discipline, integrity, and consistency to his life outside of work as he does to his leadership approach.
VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Dan Patuto is a seasoned executive leader with more than three decades of experience driving revenue growth, market expansion, and strategic partnerships across the telecommunications and infrastructure industries. At Forge25 he focuses on accelerating long-term growth, and building high-impact industry alliances. Earlier in his career, Dan held various positions in the telecom/utility sectors, including regional/national sales management, as well as principal owner of a manufacturer's rep firm that provisioned materials for thousands of miles of fiber optic build-outs across the U.S. He also has had the unique perspective of heading-up business development for a boutique ISP that was at the forefront of symmetrical bandwidth some twenty years ago. Understanding all aspects of the network build-out (engineering, design, installation, & activation) has enabled him to become a trusted resource to industry partners and end-users, demonstrating both entrepreneurial vision and operational leadership. At Forge25, Dan works closely with the fiber, tower construction, and utility teams to provide seamless and responsive feedback to strategic partners and customers alike. Known for his results-oriented approach and relationship-driven leadership style, Dan consistently delivers sustainable growth, new market opportunities, and measurable business impact.
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, FIBER SERVICES
With more than two decades of experience in fiber and network infrastructure, Jason Strand serves as Vice President of Operations – Fiber Services at Forge25. Jason began his career in the field as a fiber splicer and installer at Verizon, gaining firsthand experience in outside plant construction, customer installations, and the realities crews face every day. That field foundation continues to shape how he approaches safety, execution, and operational accountability. Over the course of his career, Jason progressed through contractor leadership and enterprise program roles, building expertise spanning outside plant, inside plant, backbone deployment, MDU engineering, customer premise operations, and large-scale cloud and AI infrastructure expansion. He has held senior leadership positions at Google Fiber, Google Cloud, Amazon, Sony, and Network Connex, where he led complex, cross-functional programs and established operating frameworks that brought structure and clarity to high-growth environments. Jason is known for building repeatable delivery models, strengthening vendor partnerships, and creating operating rhythms that align engineering, construction, finance, and operations. He focuses on practical process design, disciplined risk management, and transparent executive reporting that connects day-to-day execution with broader business objectives. At Forge25, Jason works alongside leadership and field teams to scale fiber services with discipline and purpose, ensuring work is delivered safely, efficiently, and to the standards expected by hyperscale customers. His path from splicer to executive gives him a ground-level perspective and a strong commitment to building organizations that value performance, accountability, and long-term partnership.
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Brandon Kathol serves as the Director of Business Development at Forge25, bringing over a decade of dedicated experience to the telecommunications and infrastructure industry. Since joining the company in 2013, Brandon has played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between complex engineering requirements and high-level client objectives. Brandon’s career at Forge25 is rooted in a "bottom-up" understanding of the business. Starting in a field services support role, he gained firsthand experience by managing reporting, coordinating with crews, and physically performing ground-based field services. This technical foundation was instrumental in developing the company’s engineering service offerings, including Class IV Engineering and Structural Analysis services. Today, Brandon serves as a primary subject matter expert, providing critical guidance to both field crews and engineering teams. In his daily operations, Brandon focuses on customer interactions and sales strategy, ensuring that Forge25 delivers dependable, high-quality solutions. His leadership philosophy is centered on collaborative problem-solving and empowering a team of specialists. Rather than working in a vacuum, Brandon believes in surrounding himself with diverse expertise to efficiently tackle the industry’s most difficult challenges, ultimately providing customers with solutions they can trust. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His unique blend of technical engineering background and business development expertise helps Forge25 continue its mission of building resilient, purpose-driven infrastructure.